A tour of LipsYard, courtesy of new mulch

There it is, 6 cubic yards of hardwood bark mulch, dumped in our driveway, longing to cover our planting beds, keeping them moist, warm, and weed-free.

First things first, How Much Mulch? Mulch is usually sold by the cubic yard, and that can leave you scratching their head trying to figure out how much to buy. Here’s the easiest way:
1. First, find out the size of the area you want to cover in square feet. This is easy; just multiply the length of your garden by the width.
2. Next, decide how deep you want your mulch to be, in inches. A couple of inches is usually sufficient.
3. Now multiply the size of your garden in square feet (#1) by the depth of your mulch in inches (#2).
4. Divide the number you get in #3 by 324. This is the number of cubic yards of mulch you will need to cover your garden.

If your yard is all curvy and unmeasurable like ours, guessing is your next best option.

I've been working away at "The Pile" over the past eight days, and thought a photo-blog of the progress, and a de-facto tour of the yard, would make a nice Memorial Day posting. Feel free to make up your own "spreading the mulch" analogies to virtually any member of the Bush administration.

Tools needed for this project include:

A Wheelbarrow

Several 5 gallon planting pots (good for moving the mulch in-between plants)

A Pitchfork for getting the mulch in the wheelbarrow and pots

Garden Gloves for spreading the mulch into an even 2 inch layer

A foam kneeling pad for the old man's joints

Instead of captioning each photo, just know that I'm working around the LipsYard counter clockwise, with a reference photo of the diminishing "Pile" thrown in every so often.

That's it, the last wheelbarrow. We probably got 1 yard too much, but our neighbor took some of it off our hands for his beds. The look is neat, the scent; woodserific!

Green Thursday: Save the Bees, get off your phone

There's a disturbing trend sweeping the world; disappearing bees. That could spell catastrophe for farmers who depend on bees to pollinate their crops. It'll also affect the honey crop, and ultimately raise the price of our food.

So where have the bees gone? One German scientist is claiming that cell phones have disoriented worker bees, who leave the hive to forage, but fail to return, leaving only the queen and some juveniles. This scientist claims that in a study, bees wouldn't come back to a hive with an active cell phone in it. (Maybe they didn't like the ring tone?)

Colony collapse disorder, that's what they call the bee problem, started turning up last fall, and has been spreading across the US and Europe, but its not a new phenomenon. Apparently it is cyclical, coming around every 15 or 20 years. No one knows why.

So is the cell phone to blame? Maybe, but phones have been around for a long time, and only now the problem is turning up? On the bright side, if it turns out to be true, it could be a way to keep bees away from picnics.

Every Green Thursday, LipsYard will deal with an issue vital to our global environment.

A Nation obsessed with voting

Today's the last day you can vote for your favorite Star Wars stamp. The winner will be released as a separate sheet of stamps.

Last night was your last chance to vote for the latest American Idol, either Jordin, or the Beat-boxin Blake.

America just selected Apolo Anton Ohno as the latest Dancing with the Stars champion.

Not too long ago we helped select the latest member of the Pussycat Dolls.

We are a nation obsessed with competitiveness, voting for the best, kicking the losers to the curb. Too bad we can't get this riled up when it comes to voting for the important things, like who's running our country.

Pick Hillary's theme song

Hillary needs our help! You bet she wants to know what America thinks about the important stuff: the war in Iraq, health care and ... her campaign theme song! On her official website, you can listen to 9 songs, then make your choice, or suggest one of your own.

Titles in the running include:"Suddenly I See" by K.T. Tunstall, "I'm a Believer" from the first Shrek movie, "Get Ready" by the Temptations, "Right Here Right Now" by Jesus Jones, "Beautiful Day" and "City of Blinding Lights" by U2, and the Bush-hating Dixie Chicks with "Ready to Run."

I'm all for a little fun on the campaign trail, and I've always been a fan of music promoting a product, like a jingle or theme song, but this is the leader of the free world we're talking about, and I'd rather tell her what I think about Iraq, Global Warming, Health Care, and Crime, than what song I want her to enter a speaking engagement to.

When all the other stuff the Bush administration has screwed up is fixed, I'll be ready for a little fun. Ask me then.

We have baby Robins!

Mommy and Daddy Robin (Wow! a two parent family) are flying in and out non-stop to the nest on top of the back patio light with mouthfulls of regurgitated worms and things to feed at least two little balls of fluff.


Here's a shot of Dad, worm in beak, waiting for Mom to finish feeding her mouthful. I'm sure Dad is already thinking about opening up college funds for the kids, along with Health Care Reimbursement funds, and finding a good Day-care.

past Robin posts:
Rockin Robin update
Crazed Robins won't take 'No' for an answer

Well, mow me down

I think everyone in our neighborhood mowed their lawn this evening. It was really getting long after the inch of rain the other night. It'll probably need mowing again this weekend with the heat coming in.

Paul Wolfowitz got mowed down today, too, resigning as head of the World Bank. Wolfie, who failed as an architect of the Iraq War, "It'll pay for itself with oil revenues!" and appointed by the Bush Administration, got tangled up in ethics problems over getting his girlfriend a great gig at the State Department.

As another one bites the dust, can Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez be far behind?

And how's that "Impeach Cheney" thing coming along?

Green Thursday: Favre didn't 'really' want to be traded

The statement from Brett Favre posted to the Green Bay Packers Web site was meant to clarify reports which surfaced on FoxSports.com this weekend that say the future hall of famer told Packer General Manager Ted Thompson that he wanted to be traded after the Packers failed to acquire Randy Moss during the NFL draft.

"I was frustrated a couple weeks back when Randy Moss was traded to New England. I never wanted to be traded and I don't want to be traded. I want to be in Green Bay," Favre said in his statement.

He also added that he wants to finish is career as a Packer. "Sometimes when I get frustrated I let my emotions get the better of me," he said. Favre added that he is excited about the young talent on the team and about the improvements they are making. "I look forward to playing with this team and seeing what we can do. I think we can be pretty good."

He concluded that he is continuing his rehab in Mississippi following surgery on his ankles and that he plans to show up to camp in the best shape of his life.

Wow! Even for a sports-challenged guy like me, this is quite the 180. Whomever got to good ol' number 4 should be given a raise!

Usually every Green Thursday, LipsYard will deal with an issue vital to our global environment, but as we all know watching the local news, anytime 'the Favre' says anything, it's "BREAKING NEWS." Global warming can wait, this is da Packers , for criminy!

Goodbye friends

October 4th, I will have worked at 94.5 WKTI for 25 years. In all that time, Gene Mueller has always been on the morning show. He's now leaving to join Wisconsin's Morning News on AM620 WTMJ. Gene's my favorite radio news guy. His writing and delivery are unparalleled. He's also the consumate sports fanatic. I'm elated for him having made the jump to his nirvana.

In November, Charmaine and I will be married 18 years. In all that time, Gino Salomone has been a part of the KTI morning show, either on the air, or behind the scenes. Gino was my best man. He's now leaving, with all his options open. Gino knows more celebrities than I can name. He's a fixture in Hollywood at all the movie press junkets. Many consider him a personal friend. The stars love Gino, because there's something about the way he treats them. They find a safe haven in him. Like all his friends do.

A new morning show, headed by Matthew Blades, will begin on WKTI the Tuesday after Memorial Day. I'm very excited about the players just hearing about them, and their eagerness to climb on the air, do a show, and take this station to new heights. I hope you'll like them, too.

Change is fun and exciting, it's also nerve-wracking and can induce insecurity and doubt, and a horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach, and it sucks when the people you've grown up with, worked side by side with, laughed and cried with, take change in a different direction than your own. To my friends; "In bocca al lupo!"

Time to change your password

In this world of identity theft, password protection on all things computer is a must, but really, can't someone come up with a better system? Is that post-it note under your mouse pad, or under the keyboard, or maybe just blatently stuck to your monitor the best we can do in 2007?

Where are the gadgets from the James Bond movies that scan your retina, or test for your DNA, or fingerprints?

At work, I'm prompted every 90 days to change my system login, and it can't be any of the last 6 I've used before.

I went to pay my MasterCard online today, and it prompted me to change my password.

Online Banking now uses a graphic, a catchphrase, my user name, AND a password. If it doesn't recognize my computer, then I get 2 extra questions.

My 401k is password protected, along with my payroll, paycheck, investments, credit cards, frequent flyer account, 3 rental car accounts, This blog, the WKTI website access, the Members-Only section on the Barbershopers website, and on and on and on.

Microsoft's Kim Komando (I'm guessing it's not her real name,) has these tips for Password creation.

I have so many passwords, that I can't keep them all straight, so I have them all in a document, 8 pages long single spaced, cleverly titled "********" (like I was going to tell you.) In case of a computer failure, I also have a hard copy hidden in the house. I just hope I remember where it is if I ever need it!

New Postal Rates still a bargain

New postal rates go into effect today. Mailing a standard 1-ounce letter will now cost $.41. For that same price, you can buy the "Forever" stamp, which will always be valid to send a first class letter. I think this is a bargain. Is there anyone else who can deliver a letter anywhere in the United States for $.41 in a couple days time? Certainly not Mexico. It took them 3 months to get a post card back here from my vacation, for 3 times the money.

There's a much bigger change in postal rates for businesses. The Postal Service is instituting a new pricing system that focuses on the shape of an item rather than just its weight. While mailing a standard 1-ounce letter will cost an additional 2 cents, sending an odd-shaped postcard or a package could cost as much as 20 percent more. Catalogs' postal rates are going up as much as 40 percent.

The reason behind the change is large or oddly shaped packages must be handled by a person, increasing the costs.

The direct mail business is crying foul, but why should the USPS, and taxpayers, subsidize the stuffing of our mailboxes with junk? Be ready for an influx of on-line and e-mail ads, because they're a lot cheaper now.

Rockin' Robin update

A few posts back we told you about a tenacious Robin (Turdus migratorius) trying to build on our front door mailbox and porch light. We thwarted those attempts to keep mail delivery coming to the house. Mrs. Robin didn't give up, though, finding a nice site on the back patio light.

She's now on the nest constantly, and anytime we get near the back patio, she's squaking up a storm at us. Here's her view of the flowering crab apple (Malus floribunda) from the nest.

Happy Mother's Day Mrs. Robin.

Green Thursday: Turn your car into a Homemade Hybrid

Can't afford to trade in your gas guzzler for a fuel-effecient hybrid? Transform whatever you're driving right now into a homemade hybrid. All you need to do is turn the engine off when you're not using it to go.

Stoplights, drive-up banking, waiting for food at Culvers. A hybrid car automatically turns off the engine whenever the car is not moving. Your homemake hybrid just needs your brain to do the same thing.

The conservative squakers counter that you'll use more gas to start it back up than you save, plus ruin the starter motor. Truth is, years ago, when cars were built with carburetors, this was a valid point, but now cars are all powered by fuel injection engines, which start up very easy. So how much gas does it really take to start your car? 10 seconds worth. If you're going to be idling for more than ten seconds, you'll save gas by turning off the ignition.

How much gas? How does 30 miles per tank sound? I get around 25 mpg on my ride, so that's over $3 a fill-up in savings. By turning off the engine, you'll also reduce harmful emmisions, slowing down the global warming thing. Even if you're still in the "I don't believe in Global Warming" camp (and your numbers are shrinking faster than the glaciers,) the money saved should still entice you.

Every Green Thursday, LipsYard will deal with an issue vital to our global environment.

Dinner by Design

For all you right-wing neo-cons who like your women trapped at home in the kitchen like June Cleaver, you don't have to read any further. For the rest of the free world, there's Dinner by Design. Full disclosure, they've hired me for a series of 'Cooking with Lips' nights at their area stores, but this blog is not part of that contract. I just found this to be the coolest experience.

This is the Brookfield, WI storefront, where 16 of my listeners gathered for a Tuesday night of meal preparation.
We didn't know what we were in for, but found a really organized space with workstations for each different entree that we had signed up and paid for. As I made my way around the room, each person had a different story about how their job made meal preparation really difficult, and how much of a hero this would make them at home.

This rag-tag bunch of overworked women (and one brave man,) with the help of a little host-provided wine, (boy did their eyes light up when I walked in with the hootch,) were seeking a stress-free way to provide reasonably priced home-cooked meals for their families (self included.)
The Dinner by Design concept is great: They shop, cut, portion, and provide the recipes. We walk in, assemble the meals, have a glass of wine or two, help each other, make new friends, and leave an hour or two later, armed with food for the family. They even do the dishes!

Here's just one of the finished products, stuffed flounder roll-ups. To make things complete for the kitchen-impaired, they even have stick on cooking directions for the packages. Our next DBD outing is June 5 in Racine. Keep an eye on the events page at wkti.com for details.

I'll buy gas on May 15th, you can, too.

Enough already with the forwarded mass e-mails telling me not to buy gas on May 15th. The thinking is participating in a one day boycott will bring the oil companies "to their knees" and make them lower the price at the pump.

The premise behind all these messages is flawed from the get-go, because consumers' not buying gasoline on one particular day doesn't affect oil companies at all. The "gas out" scheme doesn't call upon people to use less gasoline, but simply to shift their date of purchase and buy gas a day earlier or later than we usually would The very same amount of gasoline is sold either way, so oil companies don't lose any money. If you want to do something about high gas prices, USE LESS GAS.

Whenever I get a mass forwarded e-mail, I check the title line at a site called Snopes first. Virtually every e-mail I check turns out to be an internet hoax, just like the "Don't buy gas on May 15th" one. It's been going around in one form or another since 1999. If you want to see all the past versions of this, click here.

I gently reply to the sender to check with Snopes before filling my in-box with any more trash. Then I get to my real pet peeve. They send these around with a zillion addresses in the To: line, which gives my e-mail address to people I don't know. Stop it! at the least, use the Bcc: line, which stands for blind carbon copy. Putting all your mass mailing friends' addresses there keeps them private from the reader.

Do they have to whip the horse?

I'm not a big horse racing fan, or any racing for that matter, but Saturday's Kentucky Derby was a fun one to watch. Street Sense came from 19th (out of 20!) to win. It was a perfect sporting event for me; lots of pomp, tradition, and it's over in 2 minutes. Heck, the queen even came over to see it. If NBA and NFL games would be that short, I could be a fan of those, too.

Back to the Derby, there's no way to watch the video without bobbing up and down to the clomp clomp clomp of the hooves, as the track announcer gets more and more excited.

I then asked the question, "Do they have to whip the horse?"

Going to Google, I found a lot of disturbing sites about the mistreatment of race horses, from how they are bred and raised, broken, trained, and raced. The general consensus was that whipping has little or no effect on the speed of the horse, and may actually slow them down.

I was so excited by the race, then disappointed in what I found out when I dug a little deeper.

Look what else they had at the Derby: Barbershop Singing!

What are YOU doing this weekend?

Weekends are time for music and merry-making. Saturday night Charmaine and I play newlyweds for the Waukesha Choral Union's show; "Weddings, Wine, Weapons and War!" Your favorite opera arias and choruses come to life at Shattuck Auditorium at Carroll College.

Come out and support the local arts.

Green Thursday: Paper or Plastic? Neither!

Next time you get asked that question at the grocery story, do what we do at the LipsYard home: "I've brought my own canvas bags."

What's wrong with plastic bags? Lots. They often wind up as litter, or in trees. They drift into oceans and rivers and kill fish. They can take 1,000 years to decompose. 1,000 years! Plus every time we use a plastic bag, we drive up the demand for oil - which is used to make plastics.
According to EPA, the U.S. consumes about 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps a year. Fewer than 5 percent are recycled. Find out more at their website HERE.

There is, of course, no mystery about why America is awash in plastic bags: They are thin, lightweight, strong and cheap to make. Plastic bags, which were introduced about 30 years ago, now account for four out of every five bags given out by stores.

In a book about packaging called "Paper or Plastic? Searching for Solutions to an Overpackaged World" (Sierra Club Books, 2005), Daniel Imhoff expresses the "paper or plastic" question this way:

"Do we clearcut forests, grind them to chips, and pulp and bleach them with chlorine-based compounds (generally carcinogenic byproducts) to make boxes, bags and to-go cups primarily for one-time use? Or do we make a pact with demon hydrocarbon, refining ancient sunlight into light, easily compactible bottles, wraps and foams?"

Not a surprise is the fact that other nations around the world are leading the way in the fight against pollution. Ireland placed a "PlasTax" of 20 cents on each bag, reducing plastic bag use by about 90 percent. South Africa also taxes plastic bags, and they were banned entirely in Mumbai, India. The battle is coming to our shores, over the objections of big-business supermarkets (there's a surprise. Guess who's side the Bush administration will take?)

Cloth bags are the simple solution. Buy some and keep them in your trunk.

Every Green Thursday, LipsYard will deal with an issue vital to our global environment.

The Price of War

In our last posting, we listed the human cost of the Iraq war. Today, it's time to look at the financial toll this is taking on the American economy.

The price tag for the war is approaching $500 billion, almost 10 times what we were led to belive that this elimination of WMD's would cost.

Larry Lindsay, President Bush's first economic policy adviser was fired after he reported the war in Iraq could cost more than $100 billion. At that time, the official White House line was this war would be a bargain at $50 billion.

Paul Wolfowitz, now in a whole different scandal at the World Bank, actually said that the war would pay for itself.

So what could we do in peaceful efforts with the half-trillion we've already spent on installing democracy in the Middle East?

We could have fixed Social Security for the next 75 years.

We could have doubled the entire world's foreign aid to developing countries.

Think of what infrastructure in good old America could look like with that big of cash infusion, or the kind of graduates our education system could be turning out.

Mission Accomplished: 4th Anniversary and counting

3,351 US forces killed in Iraq

24,314 US forces wounded in Iraq

271 Other coalition forces killed in Iraq

65,000 Iraqi casualty estimate

131 Journalists killed in Iraq

394 Contractors killed in Iraq

What, exactly, is the mission?